Local tips

A few tips collected by Basel librarians to help your organise your stay.

Climate

Basel’s location in the Rhine Valley affords to the city a mild climate. In June temperatures are on average at around 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Currency

The currency in Switzerland is Swiss Francs (EUR 1 = CHF 1.15). All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops. For taxi rides we recommend bringing Swiss Francs in cash as not all taxis accept credit cards or EUR.

Electrical sockets

Swiss electrical sockets are 220–240 volts and have three 4 mm round pins. To see photos and more details to help you decide what type of adaptor you need, see Type J athttps://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/
This socket is used almost exclusively in Switzerland and Liechtenstein… but it is compatible with type C, the most commonly used in Europe.

Language

The official language of Basel is Swiss-German. French and English are widely spoken.

Restaurants – Swiss Cuisine

Basel offers a wide range of international restaurants (Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French etc.) as well as typical Swiss cuisine (such as Roesti, Fondue and Raclette). People usually have lunch between 12:00 and 14:00 and dinner between 18:00 and 20:00. A selection of restaurants can be found on travel websites such as Swiss Airlines : Swiss.com

Shopping

Shops in Basel are usually open Monday through Friday from 09:00 – 18:30, Saturday from 09:00 – 17:00. Several larger department stores are open until 20:00. All major credit cards are accepted.

Tipping

Service is almost always included in hotel and restaurant bills. A further tip of a few coins is appropriate (Restaurants 5 – 10%).

Visa

Switzerland has been a member of the Schengen Area since 2008.
Citizens of EU and EFTA countries travel without restrictions to Switzerland. Visitors from other countries must find out if special regulations apply.

Twitter

The Call for abstracts (https://t.co/NzttjnOVs4) is still open until Friday, October 12 2018. You can submit your abstract for the EAHIL 2019 Workshop through our online submission tool (https://t.co/Un31X9R4Jy). List of Submission Advisers: https://t.co/I8mb3RbwW4